Page:The book of wonder voyages (1919).djvu/216

 Some of these, armed with clubs lashed together, yelled, while others played a gruesome game, tossing a goat's hide from one to the other. Here I again warned my men, and forbade them attempt to touch or take anything. As we went on through the breach in the crag, we saw an old man with his body pierced through, sitting a little way off on a high seat facing that side of the rock which had been broken away. There, too, were three women, whose bodies were covered with wounds, and who seemed to have lost the strength of their backbones. My men wanted to know why all this had happened, so I told them how long, long ago the god Thor had been wroth with the giants, among whom was Geirrod, who had fought with him. So he had hurled a right hot iron at the giant, piercing him, and breaking an issue through the mountain's side. The women, terrified at all this, had tried to take their revenge on the god, who broke their bodies by way of punishment. As my men were leaving the palace, they saw seven big barrels hooped round with golden belts, from which hung large silver rings, fastened to them by means of many links. Near these was the tusk of a strange beast, tipped at both ends with gold. Close by lay a large and beautifully chased stag-horn, decorated with costly gems that sent forth flashes of glittering light, while beside it was a heavy gold bracelet covered with rubies that seemed to send forth showers of red flame. One man longed with all his heart and soul for this bracelet and laid his hands upon